Shingles

Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is an infection caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. After recovering from chicken pox, the virus may remain inactive within the cells of the sheath surrounding a large nerve. Years later, it may emerge as shingles. Shingles affects only the area of the body served by the nerve that held the dormant virus.

Factors such as age, illness, medications, or stress, can make the virus active again. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to get shingles. Shingles are not contagious among people with normal immune systems.

Early symptoms may include sensations of burning, tingling, or itching. When the virus reaches the skin, pain, a rash, and blisters occur. Only one side of the body is affected. The rash and blisters may appear on the chest, back, face, inside the mouth, down an arm or leg, or anywhere in a localized area or band on one side of the body. A painful rash or blisters on both sides of the body is not shingles. Shingles can occur in the eye. Any pain in the eye requires prompt medical evaluation to prevent eye infection or blindness.

Shingles usually clears up in a month. There may be severe pain that improves when the rash heals, or continues for months or years. Persistent, on-going pain occurs in half the people over age 60 who develop shingles. Destruction of the nerve sheath caused by shingles exposes the nerve, which continues to send painful messages from the skin to the brain.

Treatment for shingles includes:

• anti-viral drugs to reduce the intensity of the infection

• anti-inflammatory drugs to ease inflammation and

• prescription pain relievers and anti-depressant drugs to reduce pain and depression

The following comfort measures can be done at home.

• apply cool, wet compresses over the blistered areas

• apply a soothing lotion

• take medications for pain and itching as prescribed by a healthcare provider

Seek medical care at the first indication you may have shingles. Early treatment may reduce the severity of the infection and also decrease the length and severity of pain after the rash heals.

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